Javier Vazquez (15-4 MMA, 2-2 WEC), who said Mendes had been “spoon-fed” during his first eight professional contests, got under his skin.

“My initial reaction was anger,” Mendes said. “I can’t believe he said that. I’ve been wrestling since I was 5 years old. There are sacrifices I’ve made my entire life, so for him to come in here and say that? I don’t know where he’s coming from.”

But after the initial shock of Vazquez’s comments wore off, Mendes said the quotes did little more than motivate him to perform at his best at Thursday’s WEC 52 event in Las Vegas.

“None of my past opponents have ever said anything disrespectful,” Mendes told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “This definitely is the first time, but I’ve been competing my entire life. Wrestlers growing up were trash-talkers. It’s nothing new.

“It’s definitely motivating for me. When I heard the stuff in the interview he said, every workout after that, I had that in the back of my mind. Every time I started to get tired, I’d think of that, and it would just push me through it. It was definitely motivating.”

Mendes and Vazquez meet in the co-main event of Thursday’s Versus-broadcast event. Both are on a roll – Mendes undefeated since turning pro in 2008 and Vazquez with two-straight impressive submission wins.

At just 25 years old, Mendes believes the elder Vazquez may simply have been trying to implement a little gamesmanship with his comments.

“It could be him just trying to rile me up and get a reaction out of me,” Mendes said. “Maybe I could lose my cool during the fight or something like that. But I’ve been competing my entire life. I know how to get through stuff like this.”

Conventional wisdom says that Mendes, a collegiate All-American wrestler, will look to dominate Vasquez on the mat, where the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will be forced to look for submissions from his back.

Not so, says Mendes. Continued work on his striking attacks, which Mendes flashed effortlessly during a Tuesday media workout session, means this fight may ultimately be decided on the feet.

“I feel confident in every aspect of the game in this fight,” Mendes said. “I’m confident in my jiu-jitsu, my jiu-jitsu defense, obviously my wrestling, and my standup. I’d like to keep it standing as much as possible, but I feel like anywhere this fight goes, I’ll be comfortable.”

And while Mendes may eye a striking confrontation, he insists Vazquez’s words have nothing to do with the Team Alpha Male product’s desire to punch his opponent in the mouth.

“The words didn’t make me want to that,” Mendes said. “That’s kind of been the goal from the beginning. I feel like my standup is better than his just from watching his past fights.

“I know I have the skills with my standup, it’s just getting the confidence to get in there and do it in the fight. I think every fight I’m getting a little bit more confident using my hands. Hopefully I’ll get out there, feel great and let ‘em fly.”

And if he can, Mendes may be able to silence a few more people: the critics who have branded his wrestling-based attack as classic lay and pray.

“I would love to get a finish,” Mendes said. “I always do, but I have played it a little bit too safe in a couple of my past fights. Every day, I’m working on just letting my hands go, getting more comfortable with my ground and pound.

“Because these guys are black belts, I feel like I need to stay too solid so I’m not opening up on top. I’ve been working on that with Fabio (Prado) and all of the guys at Team Alpha Male. I feel like that’s going to be a big role in this fight. To get the finish in this fight would be huge for me, definitely.”

Finish or not, a win would be Mendes fifth-straight in the WEC and would certainly demand his involvement in any discussion regarding the UFC featherweight title picture once the two organizations merge.

While Mendes says he’s certainly not going to shy away from any potential title talk, it’s hardly his main motivation right now.

“Javi is a tough opponent,” Mendes said. “I’m not ever taking anything away from him. He’s been in the sport for a long time – a lot longer than I have. He’s fought better guys. I’m not taking anything away from him, but I just don’t appreciate when someone makes comments that I don’t deserve to be in the position I’m in just because he thinks I’m spoon-fed. I’ve paid my dues.

“It’s not the first time someone has talked to trash to me before a competition. We’ll get in there an figure it all out in the cage.”

For the latest on WEC 52, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

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